Now, Then, and In Between
by Tsuki Kakumei
Summary: We all know the Story of the Beginning. What we don't know is how Adam and Eve met and the time between then and Moonlit Bear. So let us go back. Back to how their tale really began.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my creativity.

A/N: Hello everybody! I'm very excited to be posting this! I love the Evillious Chronicles by mothy and when I heard there were 2 songs that had taken place before Moonlit Bear, I knew I had to check them out. Project MA has such a catchy tune and I always feel sad when Adam begins to sing especially at the end. This is my version of how it began and will only span for 3 chapters. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

* * *

_1 Year Before_

Adam Moonlit, a young man with ocean blue hair and proclaimed as the best scientist in all of Divine Levianta, stared out of the backseat passenger window with boredom. His chin was propped up on his right fist as his azure eyes took in the passing scenery of the country side but went unregistered in his mind as he thought about the circumstances which had brought him here.

The Senate had placed him in charge of Project MA and according to all of their research they needed a candidate with great magical power. He had heard rumors that there was a potential candidate titled 'The Best Witch of this Country' living in Nemu village and that was why he was now traveling across the country to a place with outdated technology to convince (bribe) the subject of agreeing to participating in Project MA. If this witch was as greedy as all the other failed candidates then all he needed to do was throw some money at her with the promise of making her queen of Levianta and his job would be finished before his given three days were up.

"Sir," Adam's eyes snapped over to look at the driver through the rear view mirror, "we've arrived."

Adam gave him a curt nod and stepped out of the sleek black vehicle. He subtlety stretched his stiff muscles from the long drive and assessed the small village. Nemu was a quaint little place located to the east of the capital. It was mostly a farming village with its open fields and roaming herds of animals here and there. He could already tell that the village hadn't caught up with the latest technology yet due to the cobblestone cottages with thatched roofing, dirt pathways, horse drawn carriages, and the lack of electronics.

Adam retrieved his traveling bag from the driver and ordered, "Be here in three days time to take us back to the capital."

"Yes, Sir," The driver gave a half bow and got back into the car and drove off. Adam sought out the only inn in the village and after he had set his belongings down in his room he immediately began his search for the candidate. He had first asked the inn keeper of where he could find the witch, but since the inn keeper had recently moved to Nemu herself, Adam had to take his questioning elsewhere.

He approached an old burly looking man who was busy chopping fire wood to begin his questioning. Adam cleared his throat to catch the old man's attention. When the old man kept swinging his axe down, Adam walked a little closer and tapped the man's shoulder, "Excuse me. I'm-!"

Startled, the old man quickly turned around and brandished his axe over his shoulder, ready to swing it if necessary.

Heart in his throat, eyes widened in fear, Adam raised both hands in the air and backed away from the menacing man, "Whoa, whoa! I mean you no harm!"

The old man assessed Adam with his lone eye, the other was covered by a black eye patch, and deeming that the newcomer was telling the truth he relaxed his grip on the axe and set it down. "What do ya thin' yer doin' sneakin' up on an old man like tha'?"

Adam breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his hands to rest at his sides, "I apologize for startling you, but I'm looking for a woman who's called 'The Best Witch of this Country'. Do you know who she is?"

"Aye, I do. Her name's Eve Zvezda. What do ya need her fer?" The old man's eye narrowed in suspicion.

Adam placed on his most charming smile, "I come from the capital and my company is short handed at the moment so we're looking for people with magical power, specifically witches." The explanation came easily to him since it was only half true.

The old man grunted, "Hmph. Tha' Eve 'as always wanted ta leave Nemu an' visit the capital. You'll find 'er upstream by the bank. Can't miss 'er since she 'as green hair an' all." He dismissed Adam by picking up his axe again and resumed his chopping.

Adam followed the old man's direction and soon enough he found a young woman with flowing green hair sitting on the bank. She was wearing a light cotton mint green sundress that went down to her knees and a simple pair of brown flats. He had to admit that this female was quite pretty to look at. She had glossy teal hair, smooth pale skin, large emerald eyes, a pert nose, and plump pink lips. This time Adam made sure to make a lot of noise so as to not scare her like he did with the old man.

Eve heard the snapping of dried twigs and the rustling of grass and turned her head to see a handsome young blue haired man maybe in his mid to late twenties coming towards her. She got to her feet and brushed off bits of grass and dirt from the back of her dress. The man was now in front of her with a smile on his face and stuck out his hand for her to shake.

"Hello," he greeted, "you must be Eve Zvezda. I'm Adam Moonlit, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Eve hesitantly placed her hand in his and shook it. "Yes, it's nice to meet you too, Mr. Moonlit. May I ask how you know me?"

"Adam's just fine." He released her hand and got right down to business. "Rumors of the best witch in the country have reached the capital and I've been sent here to look for you."

Eve's eyes widened in shock, "It's true that I'm named as the best witch and to be known in the capital is quite surprising, but why are you looking for me?"

At this Adam turned up his charm and his smile became even more dazzling, flashing his pearly whites at her, "I have a proposition for you, Eve. My company is in need of a very talented witch for a project we're currently working on and I believe her to be you. If you agree to come with me, I promise that you will be rewarded quite handsomely."

Eve looked at Adam with doubt. "What kind of project?"

"I'm not at liberty to give you the full details, but do know that it's very important and if it succeeds then there will be many positive changes probably on a national scale and it will all be thanks to you."

All of this sounded very strange to her and she was having a hard time believing the words coming out of his mouth. However, she did believe that he was from the capital because he was dressed quite differently from the rest of the villagers. He wore a navy dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the top button was unbuttoned to display a good portion of his neck and prominent collar bone, a pair of crisp black dress pants, and polished black shoes. Her eyes strayed to his bare collar bone and she couldn't deny that he was very attractive and a little flattered that such a handsome man came all the way to the country side to see her, but she still had her reservations about him. There was just something about Adam that put her on edge; almost like he was with holding something important from her.

Eve stared back into his eyes and replied to his proposal, "It's always been my dream to see the capital," Adam's smile grew even bigger, "But I can't go with you. I'm sorry to have wasted your time for coming out here."

His smile vanished at her refusal as his eyes narrowed at the petite woman in front of him. He was shocked that she had rejected him so easily. Perhaps she hadn't heard the part about making her rich? He tried again to persuade her, this time adding an even better offer, "Please Eve, my company is in desperate need of you. We're willing to pay you," Adam took out a note pad and pen from his shirt pocket and scribbled something on it, "this much." He handed her the slip of paper. Eve's eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when she saw the obscenely large amount of money he was willing to offer. She looked back up at Adam wordlessly, her mouth dropping open slightly.

He nodded back at her and continued, "And that's just before you even begin the job. The number could easily double, even triple after the project has been completed."

Eve stared at this man in complete disbelief. He was out of his mind to offer such an outrageous number and that was just for starters! Speech failed her. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times before she was able to move her suddenly heavy tongue to make the proper syllables.

"This-this is quite generous of your company, Adam," The hand that held the piece of paper trembled as she extended it back out to him. Adam calmly took the little slip back. A victorious smirk was curling at the edges of his mouth. He was positive that he had her hooked now, however, her next words dashed those thoughts, "But once again I'm sorry. I really can't accept this."

Instead of a victory smirk it was soon replaced with a displeased frown. Just what was so wrong with his offer? He was attempting to make her rich beyond her wildest dreams and she was still turning him down? He had to know why.

"And may I ask why? If it's been your dream to visit the capital then why do you persist on refusing?"

Eve swallowed thickly. She couldn't outright say that she didn't trust him so she settled with a different, albeit weaker excuse instead, "The village needs me. Since I'm the best witch the villagers rely on my magic to heal the sick and injured and help them with their daily duties. I can't abandon them when they rely on me so much."

"And maybe that's why you should accept my offer. If the villagers depend on you as much as you say they do then don't you think they're becoming too dependent upon your magic? Perhaps it's time to separate yourself from them to give them a chance to survive on their own." Adam countered easily.

She was feeling cornered by his swift rebuttal. Yes, she wanted to visit the capital quite badly. Having been born and raised in Nemu, Eve had never left the village before and she was envious of the few villagers who had managed to save up enough money to make the trip to the capital themselves. This was the perfect opportunity to see the capital herself and was tempted, very much so, to take it. She didn't care about the monetary compensation just going there would be a reward in and of itself, but once again there was the issue of Adam. She didn't trust him, plain and simple as that.

"I'm really very sorry, but it's just as I said before, I can't leave the villagers. Now please, I'd like to be left alone." Eve beat a hasty retreat, leaving Adam to stand at the bank all by his lonesome. He crumpled the piece of paper with his fist and tossed it down onto the grassy ground. He stared off into the flowing water as his thoughts mulled about. Eve was proving to be a more difficult candidate than all the others. If she hadn't been swayed by money then what else could he use? This was going to be harder than he initially thought, but he wasn't too worried. After all he did have three days and he was certain that he'd be able to persuade her by the end of it.

* * *

Adam was completely and absolutely frustrated. It was already the third day and he was no where near close to getting Eve to come with him. He had tried everything he could think of from bribing her with an even larger amount of money, offering her the finest jewels and clothing, and even going so far as to supply her a brand new, fully furnished home in the capital and a shiny new car; all paid for and under her name as soon as she said 'yes', but no. Eve was as stubborn as they came and nothing had worked on her.

After she had rejected him twice during their first meeting, Adam had given her time to think over his proposal and approached her again the next day. She had refused him again and Adam began just shy of stalking the teal haired woman. During his remaining time in Nemu, Adam had religiously observed the young witch. He witnessed her perform small doses of magic such as healing minor wounds, levitating heavy sacks of flour, repairing broken equipment and sometimes even all at once! He was convinced that she was the perfect candidate for Project MA.

On the third and final day, Adam confronted Eve once more. He had half a mind to drop to his knees and beg her to go with him, but his pride wouldn't allow that. Adam stood besides the back passenger door as he watched Eve come closer to him. He had asked her to meet him at his car as a last ditch effort and in the off chance that she might magically change her mind and agree to go with him, but he knew that wouldn't happen even if a very small part of him had hoped it would.

As soon as she came close enough he greeted her, "Eve. I'm surprised that you even came to see me off. I thought you wouldn't come near me ever since you told me to stop bothering you two days ago."

"I'm just as surprised as you are, Adam, but I guess I just needed to confirm for myself that you really are leaving." Her words were cold but Adam couldn't help think that she was a picture of radiance. Eve stood before him in another cotton sundress, a pale blue with pink and purple flowers dotting the skirt, her hair wasn't tied up in the traditional pigtails but left down and loose to trail along her back like an aquamarine waterfall, and she was wearing her simple brown flats again. A pretty pink blush rose to Eve's cheeks when she noticed Adam hadn't stopped staring so intensely at her and averted her eyes to look at a tree that was behind him.

He watched her blush a lovely shade of pink and saw her bashfully turn her gaze away to stare at something behind him. A thought suddenly occurred to him. Perhaps he'd been going about everything the wrong way. It was obvious that material objects didn't appeal to her like it did to the others, but she was aware that he's a man and that could work to his advantage. A predatory smirk curved onto his lips and his eyes darkened at his new plan.

Eve shuddered. She wasn't sure if she should be wary or somewhat excited at the look he gave her.

Adam gently took her small hand into his larger one and brought it to his lips. He laid a soft kiss to the back of her hand and murmured into her pale skin, "I'm not giving up just yet, Eve. I swear I will be back and I know you can't say 'no' forever." He kissed her hand one last time, released the appendage, and smoothly went into his car.

Eve swore she could still feel the lingering glide of his lips against her skin. Oddly enough she was anticipating what his return would foretell as she stood in the same spot unmoving, merely watching the black car drive away and with it carried the man who had disrupted her peaceful life for the past three days.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! It makes me so happy to know that you're all enjoying this just as much as I'm writing it! Here's the much anticipated chapter 2, but I must confess that I lied. There's actually going to be 4 parts instead of the original 3. I still had more to write that I couldn't fit it all into chapter 2. So be happy that there's still more to come!

* * *

_1 Month Later_

Adam was busy tinkering with the different colored vials in his laboratory. It pleased him that progress was going smoothly and soon he would be able to implement his plan of returning to Nemu. He held up a thin vial containing a light purplish liquid in one hand while scribbling down notes with the other when an uninvited visitor leisurely strolled into his personal work space. That person was none other than the one he despised the most after the Senate. Seth Twiright. The bespectacled brunette had also been named as the 'Best Scientist in this Country' and because of that they had an unspoken rivalry between each other. There could only be one person holding that title and when the Senate placed Adam as the Director for Project MA (the only thing they had ever done right), well it was fairly obvious who more deserving of such a proclamation was.

"Seth," Adam growled, "What are you doing here?"

"Adam. I see that you're still holed up in your lab instead of finding candidates. How long has it been since you came back empty handed with your tail tucked between your legs from that village, hmm?" Seth walked behind Adam and tried to peer over his shoulder, but Adam quickly spun to face his unwelcome visitor while turning over his research papers, shielding them from Seth's prying eyes. Standing at his full height an aura of displeasure was radiating off of him. An indulgent smile tipped up at the corners of Seth's mouth as he took a step back away from invading Adam's personal space, "And just what are you working on there?"

Adam frowned at the devious man, "None of your damn business. If you came here for a reason then spit it out quickly or else leave."

Seth chuckled. It was so easy to ruffle Adam's feathers. "Now, now, don't be like that. Of course I came here for a reason. The Senate is wondering why there's been no progress with Project MA. They're becoming impatient and that prophecy isn't going to fulfill itself. "

A muttered curse escaped Adam, too low for Seth's ears to pick up, as he ran an aggravated hand through his already messy ocean blue hair. "Tell them that I'm working on providing a promising candidate."

"Since _you're_ the Director, I believe it to be your responsibility to provide them with answers."

"And since _you're_ my subordinate you are to do as _I_ tell you." Adam bit back harshly.

Seth's face scowled at that remark. Of course Adam had to play the 'I'm-your-boss-so-you-have-to-do-what-I-tell-you-to-do' card. It's not like he needed a reminder that Adam was in a higher position than he was. He and the Senate had taken great pains to dispose of that pesky Maria Moonlit and for the Senate to have backstabbed him by choosing his rival over himself to be placed in charge of a very important project was unforgivable.

"I'm your colleague not your subordinate."

"Colleague, subordinate, it's the same thing. You're still working under me and if you refuse to then I can easily kick you off the project." Adam said blithely, waving his hand in dismissal of the subject.

Seth clenched his hands and crossed his arms over his chest to prevent himself from smacking his conceited _superior_ (oh, how he hated calling him that) as he almost snarled out, "Very well then, I'll _relay_ your _message_."

Adam smirked quite smugly at having one upped the brunette. It was petty and childish and not something a man of his age and stature should do, but if there was anything that could give him the upper hand against Seth then he would use it no matter what. He went back to working on his vials, showing Seth his back as a clear sign of dismissal. "If there's nothing else then get out."

Seth took a few deep breaths trying to temper his rising anger when his mind latched onto Adam's passing words. He said he had a promising candidate. Now who could it be? Adam hadn't left his lab since the day he came back from his failed trip unless... Ever the calculating man he was, Seth needed to prod Adam for answers if he was even willing to divulge them. Most likely not, but he was nothing if not resourceful.

The light clicks and clacks of a glass stirring rod gently knocking against the sides of a beaker combined with the continuous humming of machinery was a soothing harmony for Adam's ears. It lulled him into a state of serenity that he never noticed Seth hadn't left yet. The sound of his voice brought him back to reality however, and he could feel the vein in his temple throbbing in time with his growing ire.

"What do you want now, Seth?" He practically hissed out the other man's name.

"I'm sorry to be bothering you so much, Adam," Seth said without an ounce of sincerity, "but there was something you said that caught my interest. What was it again?" He tapped his chin feigning forgetfulness. Adam was immediately running out of patience and snarled at him to hurry it up.

Seth sneered at Adam's back for his own personal victory of annoying his superior. "Oh yes, now I remember!" He replied with fake cheer, "You said you found a promising candidate. It wouldn't happen to be the witch living in Nemu village named as the 'Best Witch in this Country' would it?"

The stirring rod Adam had been using to mix his concoction stopped moving. In fact his entire body froze. A dark light entered Seth's eyes as he observed Adam's back. Bingo. He hit the target right at the mark, now it was time to see if he could be pushed even further.

"I'm right aren't I? If the rumors are true then I suppose she would be the ideal candidate. Since you failed at enticing her perhaps I should go and give it a try?" Seth was cut off from saying anymore by Adam slamming his hand down onto the table causing various glass instruments to rattle in their places. Adam braced both hands onto the table, his shoulders were hunched over, blue head bowed down, and his harsh breathing filled the room.

There was silence. After a moment, Adam collected himself and spoke in a low voice, "I'm warning you, Seth, to back off. _I_ will handle the candidate and _you_ will go inform the Senate. You've outstayed your welcome, Seth. Get out now or I'll have someone haul your worthless ass out."

Without a word, Seth turned on his heel and strolled out of the lab. He had gotten enough information for the time being.

* * *

_2 Weeks Later_

Stepping out of the vehicle, Adam breathed in the fresh air of the country side. He arrived in Nemu by mid-morning and he felt confident that he'd be able to convince Eve to accept his offer. Since material objects gave her no impression physically, Adam construed that the only way to influence the witch was to manipulate her emotions. He was going to seduce her until all she could think about was him and catering to his whims, and with the help of a little something he made in his lab it was going to simply be a matter of time before she caved in.

Adam spent weeks in his laboratory perfecting the short vials full of deep purple serum that he named 'Venom'. A successful batch was created one week ago after multiple testing on lab animals and the occasional human. After witnessing the desired effects Venom did to the human subjects, Adam knew that this would be the key to persuade (brainwash) Eve into agreeing.

With a bit of a spring in his step, Adam ordered his driver to come back in a week and headed off in the direction of the inn. After he settled his belongings in his room (it was same the one he stayed in before) the villagers helpfully supplied him the whereabouts of Eve (they believed he was a suitor, despite Eve's many denials, since he practically hounded her day and night the last time he was there). He gently rapped his knuckles on her door and waited patiently for her to answer. The sound of scuffling feet and the latch being released was a good sign that she didn't check to see who was on the other side of the door because Adam was sure that if she did then she would've snuck out the back entrance without a second thought.

The oak door swung open and Eve stood shell shocked at her entrance. She blinked a couple of times to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. On her doorstep was Adam dressed immaculately as always and pleasantly beaming at her. In his hands he carried a small white box tied with a pink ribbon and a mildly sweet smell drifted out of the enclosed top. A delicate sniff told her that it was most likely some form of baked goods being housed in there.

"Hello, Eve. Did you miss me?" Adam inquired unabashed.

Breaking out of her stupor, Eve replied back quite tersely, "No, I most certainly did not. What are you doing here, Adam?"

Adam gasped and blinked his azure eyes in the most innocent fashion. His voice adopted a playfully distressed tone as he said, "I'm hurt! Didn't I say that I'd be back? And look, I even brought you a gift!"

"Yes, but I didn't think you were serious." Eve grudgingly admitted under her breath.

Adam heard her mutterings as clear as day but was unfazed. His smile slid back into place as he intoned cheerily, "Aren't you going to invite me in? It's very rude to leave a guest standing in the entrance way you know."

"I don't want to, but you'll probably make camp outside my door if I don't let you in anyways." Eve glared at him and reluctantly stepped aside to let Adam in.

His eyes wandered from corner to corner making note of every detail. Eve's cottage was small but cozy. The kitchen and living room shared the main space with a small round table, which he presumed was designated as the dining table, was situated in the space between them to separate the different rooms. Beyond the living room were two doors besides each other that must have led to her bedroom and the other to the bathroom. There were various knick knacks and decorations along the walls and table tops that gave off a feeling of being well lived in.

Adam placed the bakery box onto the center of the dining table. He then shrugged off his light jacket, draped it across the back of the wooden chair and settled down onto the seat, making himself well at home. Eve fixed him a mug of hot tea and placed it in front of him as she sat down on the opposite side with a mug of her own steaming beverage. They sat in a contemplative silence for a while; Eve refused to acknowledge the man sitting across from her while Adam watched her ignore him, each sipping their own mugs until Adam broke the stillness by gesturing to the unopened box between them.

Curious at what the contents of the box contained, Eve pulled it closer to her and untied the ribbon. Once the top was flipped over and the baked goods were revealed her eyes lit up in joy. She was delighted to see an assortment of tarts and pastries, all of them sharing a different shade of purple, and immediately grabbed dishes and silverware to indulge in them. When she put a place setting for Adam, he politely declined saying, "You don't need to worry about me. Besides I bought these from the capital specifically for you as a present so please, go ahead and enjoy yourself."

Eve shrugged her shoulders at his excuse and selected a wild berry tart to sample first. Her first bite nearly had her moaning in bliss. During her second bite she noticed the filling was runnier than a normal fruit tart should be as the dark indigo juice leaked out of its shell and onto her plate.

"How does it taste?" he asked her.

"It tastes divine! But I wonder why the filling is so moist? Usually a fruit tart has a sticker jelly like filling."

"I was told that the bakery where I bought these sweets from uses a family recipe where they make the filling differently from the more traditional methods. The moist filling is supposed to add to the flavor." He patiently explained to her.

Understanding dawned in her emerald eyes. People from the capital must do a lot of things differently than the countryside. "Oh, I see. Well thank you for bringing these Adam." She took another bite and savored the sweetness of the fruits and juice rolling around on her tongue.

"It was my pleasure, Eve." Adam rumbled back in satisfaction. He leered at her with half closed eyes as he hid his triumphant grin in favor of taking a sip of his slowly cooling tea instead.

* * *

_6 Days Later_

The plan was proceeding slower than he thought it would but everything was gradually sliding into place. As he had thought before, Eve was a stubborn woman. Venom was a fast acting drug that should have produced the exact results Adam wanted by the end of day one; however, Eve was proving to be resistant towards it. It may have something to do with the fact that she was a witch and her powers were somehow countering the effects of the drug, Adam would need to examine this further once they returned to his lab. Nevertheless, Venom was slowly but surely affecting her system, but the progress was going too slow for Adam's liking.

So during his third day in Nemu, he had taken it upon himself to slip a doubled dosage into all of her meals whenever the chance presented itself. She was none the wiser that she was being drugged and that being combined with Adam's subtle seduction; she was beginning to sway towards his favor. There was one day left and Adam was determined to take advantage of her state of mind and step up his method of seduction.

He found her sitting by the same bank where they first met staring off into the glistening waters. He sat down besides her, making sure that their shoulders would brush against each other with the smallest of movements, and viewed her profile. Eve tried to ignore his stare but every time she shifted, her shoulder brushed against his. The warmth that was radiating off of him made her head dizzy with longing and it only served as a reminder of his close proximity. Her conflicting emotions confused her for it was not too long ago that she treated him with disdain. Uncomfortable with this situation, Eve moved to get up but Adam's hand reached out to gently clasp her dainty hand, rooting her to the spot.

Emerald eyes flew to their joined hands then to Adam's face but his gaze had turned to look at the rushing brook instead so she peered at their hands once more. She wanted to pull her hand away and place it in her lap and as if he were reading her mind, Adam ran his thumb along the back of her captive hand. That one simple action sparked electric bolts of desire to shoot through her entire body. Her breathing quickened and her blood felt like it was on a low simmer as heat was redirected to the most embarrassing place. A light pink dusted her cheeks. How mortifying! To become so aroused at such an effortless touch was perplexing.

When she chanced a glance back at Adam to see if he noticed her reaction, she was startled to see that his face was closer than before. Emerald and azure locked onto each other. His eyes danced in amusement and his mouth curved upwards into a secretive smile. His head moved ever closer to hers, tilting to the side. There was but a scant inch between them now as warm puffs of air breathed onto her lips. Adam paused, giving her ample amount of time to pull away if she really wished to. Their lips were so close to touching that a small nudge would push them together. He saw her inner struggle with herself and waited for the young witch to make her choice.

Eve's heart beat a frantic rhythm against her breast. Rationality and temptation fought a bitter battle against each other until temptation triumphed. Her eyes slid shut, shielding them from azure irises, and closed the remaining distance between them to press their flesh against each other. The slow brushing of lips against his was all the incentive he needed to pull her closer to him and further deepen the kiss. Hands grappled against the other, breathing shortened, and tongues dueled a slippery fight. Their passionate fervor gradually ebbed to lingering caresses, lips softly gliding together, and hands gently mapping each others dips and curves until it slowed to a halt.

Adam pulled away from the dazed woman and touched his forehead to hers, cupping her rosy cheeks between his slightly than warmer palms. He caught her eyes and smiled crookedly.

"Eve," he breathed, "I want you to know that I'm not after you because my company needs you, which we desperately do because in all honesty this is a very important project and you'd be playing a key role in it, but because _I_ want you with me." Eve cut off his nervous rambling.

"Adam, what are you trying to say?" she asked quietly.

Adam took a deep breath to calm his raging nerves and spoke in a near whisper, "I think I'm starting to fall in love with you, Eve. So, I'm going to ask you one more time and if you say 'no' then I'll never bother you again, will you come with me to the capital?"

Her mind short circuited at his emotional confession. He loved her? Was that enough to make her leave her home and life behind to follow Adam; a man who swept into her life like a whirlwind turning what were once peaceful days into chaos? If she were honest with herself then she'd admit that somewhere along the way the man in front of her managed to creep his way into her heart.

She peered into those pools of deep blue trying to determine if he was being truthful. What she saw in them almost made her breathless again. There was so much hope and trepidation for her answer that words failed her. All she could do was give him a single slow nod. His smile broadened even wider as he squeezed her against his chest and laughed merrily. Eve gripped him back, happy that Adam was ecstatic at her response and wondered what the future had in store for them. What she didn't see though was Adam's pleasant facade morph into something else entirely. A Cheshire grin stretched across his face.

Mission accomplished.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Oh boy. I finished this about a week ago and couldn't bring myself to edit it. I think I started to run out of steam mid way through writing this chapter, but it gets the ball rolling. Next one will be the last!

* * *

3_ Days Later_

The capital was absolutely mesmerizing. It was quite different from what she had been previously led to believe. The stories Eve heard from the villagers couldn't compare to actually seeing the place with her own eyes. There were tall buildings that reached high in the sky, smooth paved roads, and everything was made out of stone and metal; she could hardly see any wooden buildings if there were any at all.

She and Adam had arrived in the capital late yesterday afternoon. They were supposed to head straight to his company, but Eve managed to persuade her new lover to let her do a little sightseeing first. Adam had initially refused but Eve held her ground stating if she was going to be living in the capital from now on then it'd be best if she became familiar with the city as soon as possible. He relented afterwards (he saw no harm in it, she was already in the capital so she might as well fulfill her dream) and indulged her request.

They were now in Adam's lab. She was sitting on a high metal stool, eyes wandering around to look at all the complex machinery and gadgets while Adam stood off to the side with his back towards her labeling a couple of recently drawn vials of her blood – "To prepare a medical chart for you. Everyone has to have one," he explained (lied). He wanted to prepare a stronger version of Venom because honestly he was getting tired of drugging her multiple times a day. – when a knock sounded at the door and after a moment it slid open to reveal Seth. Adam frowned at his arrival (at least he had the decency to announce himself unlike last time) and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Seth glanced at Adam then to the female who was looking between the two with curiosity and addressed the blue haired man, "I heard that you came back from your trip and that you weren't alone." He pointedly looked at Eve. She shifted in her seat unnerved by his unblinking stare.

"So this must be her, I take it?" Seth walked closer to her and leaned over slightly to scrutinize her features, hands clasped behind his back. Eve shrunk back from the imposing man. She had a feeling deep down in her gut that he was not to be trusted. "I must say that you do know how to pick them, Adam. This one is no less beautiful than all the other candidates, but there's also something different about her. More… gentle I suppose."

"Seth." Adam spoke in a low voice.

His warning went unheeded as Seth continued, "But I do hope that she will turn out to be successful if only for your sake. The Senate is demanding there be results or else they'll look for someone more _suitable_ to lead the project."

"Stop. Talking." Adam growled.

"Adam?" Eve's voice shook as she looked towards him, "What is he talking about? What candidate?"

"Ah," Seth straightened up. A vicious smirk curled at the edges of his lips as he too looked at the agitated man. "I presume you didn't tell the little miss everything, did you. I do wonder _how_ you managed to convince her into agreeing. Tell me little miss, just how much did he pay you for your cooperation?"

"That's enough! Get away from her and leave!" Adam finally snapped and roared out.

There was a pause before Seth pushed his glasses up higher. "Well there was no need to yell. I understand when I'm not wanted. I wish you all the best, _Director_." He intoned mockingly over his shoulder as he left the lab.

When the brunette left, Eve saw how upset Adam was, his hands were clenched tightly that all of his knuckles shown pure white. She wanted to go over to his side and comfort him but couldn't find the strength in her legs to do so. Her body trembled slightly for she had never seen Adam angry before but most of all she was very confused. The words that man spoke troubled her a great deal. She was a candidate for the project? And there had been others before her? What happened to them and where were they now? The man said he hoped she'd be successful so did that mean that the others had failed somehow? All of these questions swirled around her mind and decided she needed answers from the very man in front of her.

"Adam, I want answers and I want them now."

Adam for his part closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm his mounting irritation. He was planning to tell Eve the truth at some point but he never thought he'd have to do it this soon. That damn Seth just had to barge in and destroy all of his carefully laid groundwork in one fell swoop. Adam knew exactly why the other man had done what he did because that's what he would've done himself if he were in Seth's shoes. By neglecting to tell the candidate the truth in the beginning, Seth had been able to sow seeds of doubt and mistrust in the candidate's mind therefore if the candidate refused to cooperate then it would be marked as another failure and the Senate would have no choice but to reevaluate their decision of placing him in charge. If that happened then they would strip him of his position and place Seth in charge instead. He won't allow that to happen. What no one else knew was that Eve was still under the effects of Venom. The situation can still be salvaged if he played his cards right.

He took a final deep breath and opened his eyes, calmly walking over to where Eve sat. When he stood before her, he reached out to hold her hand but she flinched and pulled away from him. His hand stopped mid reach then dropped to his side listlessly.

Adam sighed heavily, "Alright, Eve. What do you want to know?"

"Who was that man and what did he mean by 'candidate'? What happened to the others? What is this project that you two have been going on about? Just what the hell is going on?!" Her voice took on a hysterical edge by the end of it.

Adam placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing soothing circles until she calmed down considerably to listen to him. "That man was Seth Twiright, another scientist like me. He's a devious man and has been a thorn in my side for years. It's best if you steer clear of him whenever possible. You're a prime candidate for something we're working towards meaning you're existence is crucial to us. We've found other candidates before but they weren't a match for the project. When they didn't work out we just paid them what we promised and sent them back to their homes." He thought it best to leave out the part about later sending out some men in black to eliminate any failed candidates. It wasn't important for her to know that bit.

"Why didn't they work out?"

"Because they lacked any sort of magical talent. Our research concluded that we needed someone with great magical talent and that's when I approached you."

Eve still didn't understand why it had to be her specifically. Surely there had to be other witches with the same magical talent as her or greater. She put those thoughts aside for now and pressed on with her questions. "And this project? You never fully explained it to me."

For once Adam hesitated. This was the hard part. What he was about to tell her would either make his dreams come true or break them. "To answer that I'm going to tell you something that only those that are involved are supposed to know." So counting on the influence of Venom, Adam told her. Everything.

He told her of a prophecy about the Legacy of Darkness coming to destroy Levianta and the only way to prevent that was the reincarnation of the two dragon gods reborn as the "Twin Gods". To achieve that they need a witch with great magical talent (her) and whoever could successfully bear the Twin Gods will become the mother of god (MA) and new queen of the country. He then spoke of his mother, Maria Moonlit, the previous queen and the one who foretold the prophecy, and how she'd been taken away (killed) by the Senate and Seth. He painted her a picture of him being portrayed as the victim of the Senate and Seth's actions.

After Adam finished telling her the truth he waited for her response.

Eve was silent for a long time trying to absorb everything that had been told. When she was able to digest all that she could, she opened her mouth and said, "So everything that you told me when we first met was a lie?"

"No!" he denied vehemently while shaking his head, "I never lied to you. In the beginning what I said to you was the truth just not in full detail." Adam crouched down until he was almost at eye level with her. "It's true that the reason why I went after you in the first place was because of your magic, but over time I began to have feelings for you and the reason why I was chasing you became lost."

He tilted her chin to make her face him as he then slid his hand to cup her cheek. "If you want to walk away then I understand but, Eve, I love you. I love you so much. Please believe me when I say that," he implored gazing deeply into her emerald hues.

She needed time to think and staring hypnotized into his beseechingly azure pools wasn't helping either. She finally managed to break away from his gaze to look down at her lap. "I… I don't know what to do. I need some time to think this through."

Adam nodded his head. He would give her that. "Alright, I'll have someone escort you back to the hotel. Please, consider everything that you've heard. I'll be here tomorrow morning for your answer." He released her and stood to his full height, his knee popping as he did so and went over to the phone to call for a driver.

Eve's cheek tingled in the spot Adam had touched her. She found herself already missing his comforting warmth as her heart thumped hard against her chest at the newly created distance between them. Soon enough a driver came to escort her back to Adam's apartment.

Parts of her mind were at war against each other. The logical, more rational side of her was telling her to leave and never look back. She had no idea as to what she was getting into and it'd be best to head back to Nemu and forget all about Adam. However, the emotional, infatuated part of her felt that she couldn't forget Adam even if she tried nor did she want to. The feelings she had for him went beyond anything she had ever felt before and she knew that _if_ she were to ever fall in love again, those feelings would _never_ compare with the love she felt for Adam. Another argument her emotional side provided was he protected her from Seth and now he's risking his job, his livelihood, by telling her the truth. Adam was giving her the opportunity to walk away. That was proof enough that he loved her as much as she did him to risk everything, wasn't it? She didn't know what to think and was grateful for Adam giving her the time to do so.

All too soon morning came and Eve was whisked back to the laboratory. When she entered, Adam was sitting down by one of the tables, hands clasped together by his chin and a solemn expression on his handsome face. As soon as he saw her, he immediately got up and went to her side. He stopped just short of touching distance leaving about a foot of space between them. She noticed his hands fidgeting and hovering about, almost like he wanted to touch her but refrained from doing so.

"So," Adam started then stopped. There was a pause between them, neither sure which of them should start. He cleared his throat and tried again, "Have you come to a decision?"

"I have," Eve answered, swallowing thickly. "It wasn't easy, but I thought long and hard about everything that you said. It hurt that you didn't tell me the whole truth but I guess I can understand. You're willing to throw away your whole career for me and I can't let you do that."

Adam's eyes lit up. So close. Just a little more. "And that means…?"

Eve blew a deep breath. She spent the entire night thinking about it and Adam's pleading had affected her. She was a sympathetic person by nature. The story Adam told her about his mother and the great Sin, tugged at her heartstrings. The knowledge that her beloved country was about to fall into darkness frightened her very much. If Project MA was the answer to prevent it from happening then she was willing to help. "That means, yes, I will help you with this." Before she knew it her body was enveloped in Adam's arms as he chuckled happily. He released her shortly and took hold of her hand, tugging her in the direction of the door.

"This is wonderful news, Eve! Come. We don't know when the Legacy of Darkness will occur so we must get this started right away." He led to her a different lab. This one had all sorts of complex machinery as well but in the center of the room there was an elevated padded chair with metal stirrups.

He explained the procedure to her and before her mind could properly grasp what was happening she had been changed into a white medical gown and reclining against the chair with her legs propped up and spread open by the stirrups. Adam was standing in front of her spread legs then wearing his own medical smock, a surgical mask, and a pair of latex gloves, holding a very long needle that he said will be inserted inside of her. Another person she hadn't noticed before, probably another scientist who wore the same get up as Adam, lifted up her gown to reveal her stomach and squirted some kind of cold gel onto her mid section then used some kind of device to spread it around. Soon enough the needle was taken out of her and the gel wiped off her body.

The assistant left the lab leaving Adam and Eve to themselves. Adam stripped off his gear and helped the bemused Eve put her legs down and sit up. She snapped back to reality when she felt her cheek being cupped and a feather soft kiss on her lips.

Adam pulled away, smiling in satisfaction. "Congratulations, you did it. Soon you will be MA and Levianta will be saved." Spotting the lingering conflict on her face, Adam reassured her, "Don't worry about anything else. You only have to focus on raising the twins. Our twins."

Eve smiled hesitantly. She wrapped her arms around him as he did the same to her, enfolding her in his soothing warmth. Yes, she was positive now that she made the right decision. His words eased her previous turbulent thoughts as she thought about her, Adam, the twins, and becoming their own little family.

It was a success. The candidate agreed and the seeds of God were embedded within her. All that's left to do is wait for the Twin Gods to be born. Adam held Eve a little tighter. Everything was falling into place.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you for all the hits and reviews! Originally it was this chapter that inspired me to write a Project MA fic. I wanted to write a story about Eve's pregnancy, but couldn't do it without a series of events on how they met. Backwards isn't it? So with this concludes Now, Then, and In Between and I have to admit that I teared up at the end (for many reasons). For this chapter I tried my hand at writing in a drabble-ish style. I hope you all enjoyed the ride and Adam's evilness! ;)

* * *

_1 Month_

During the first month of the pregnancy, Eve was overcome with a severe bout of morning sickness that left her bedridden most of the time. On her good days it felt like a bad case of food poisoning. On her worst days she glued herself next to the toilet, unmoving in fear that the moment she stepped away the need to empty her insides would slam into her like a carrier truck.

She was sitting up in bed, blankets tucked up to her waist and an open magazine lying unread on her lap. Adam had already left for the lab leaving Eve all by herself in their (a surge of giddiness always went through her at that thought) apartment. Eve heaved a sigh. She was so bored! She wanted to go outside and take a stroll around the local parks; however, the doctor had ordered her to bed rest until her morning sickness abated. Another deep sigh escaped. She discarded the magazine and lay down on the soft mattress, squirming until she became comfortable. There was nothing else for her to do except take a nap. Maybe when she woke up, Adam would already be home. She could only hope.

She woke up by her grumbling stomach demanding that she have a late lunch. Rubbing her eyes to clear the remaining traces of sleep from them, she gasped as she took in the sight of the bedroom. There were vases upon vases of different flowers littered on top of every available surface. Daisies, tulips, roses, lilies, orchids, bellflowers, and anything else in a variety of colors decorated the beige bedroom. And Adam was sitting next to her, hands hidden behind his back and a gentle smile directed at her. The afternoon light drifting in through the window cast a golden hue around the room made her feel like she was in a dream.

"Good afternoon, love," he kissed the tip of her pert nose in greeting. "I know you want to go visit the park but can't because of your morning sickness," he revealed his right arm holding a bowl of strawberry ice cream, "So I thought I'd bring the park to you and one usually has ice cream when admiring nature." He gestured with his right hand holding the ice cream and with his left to the flowers.

Eve's eyes swam with unshed tears as she threw herself at his chest. Screw the outdoors! Who needs it when she had someone as thoughtful as Adam?

* * *

_2 Months_

Finally, Eve's morning sickness lessened to some degree that she was no longer confined to bed rest! To celebrate this, Adam suggested that they take a small trip to his favorite place south of Levianta called Eldoh's forest in Elphegort. The smell of pine and rich earth brought memories of Nemu and combined with the small caresses of magic along her senses; Eve instantly fell in love with the forest. She twirled and frolicked along the grassy fields and giggled when she splashed Adam with cool water from the stream. As much as she enjoyed living in the capital she couldn't help but feel the most at home in Eldoh's forest.

As they sat in a clearing watching the setting sun with Eve sitting in between Adam's legs and her back leaning against his sturdy chest, her hands resting on her still flat tummy, she had never felt as peaceful as she did at that moment. Adam seemed to be content as well for he leaned down to nuzzle her neck and trailed soft kisses up to her ear and whispered, "When this is all over, we'll hold our wedding here in Eldoh's forest."

The little flutters within her may have been from the happiness of his proposal or it may have just been that the twins wanted to bask in their mother's joy. Either way, warmth bloomed in her chest and spread outwards as she tilted her head upwards and captured his lips in hers just as the stars appeared to witness her acceptance.

* * *

_3 Months_

Eve had always been a petite person and by three months a small, round baby bump made itself known on her tiny frame. Morning sickness no longer bothered her, however, her body was now wracked with mood swings and odd cravings and the only person she could safely take it out on was none other than her poor fiancé, Adam.

That was why at 2:39AM, Adam was rudely awakened by the tiny tealette literally kicking him out of their warm and comfortable bed to go on one of her crazy food cravings quest. He grumbled half heartedly under his breath as he got dressed and left their dry apartment to trek around the city in the pouring rain for salsa and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Where he was going to find a bakery that was opened at close to three in the morning he didn't know, but he was determined to get those cookies even if he had to wait outside in the cold wetness until they opened because well… Eve's mood swings can be terrifying he admitted to himself.

He returned home at quarter to five (he managed to run into a baker just as he was getting ready to make his morning goods and bribed him to bake a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies) to find Eve waiting for him in the living room. She visibly perked up as she took his wet jacket and the proffered plastic bag of her goodies. She reached into the bag for the jar of salsa only for her smile to melt away and her bottom lip trembled.

She raised her wide, glistening green eyes to his blue ones. Dread filled Adam.

"It's mild," she whimpered like it was the end of the world. "I wanted extra spicy."

Adam sighed. Without a word he shrugged on his damp jacket and placed a kiss on her forehead as he turned around to brave the rain once more, the sound of his wet shoes squeaking behind him.

He shook his head. The things he did for her.

* * *

_4 Months_

A sharp jolt lancing up Eve's side nearly caused her to double over in surprise. Adam was beside her in a flash. His mouth spewed out questions – "What's going on? Are you alright?" and "Is it the twins? It must be the twins!" - before his mind could tell him to shut up and assess the situation calmly.

He was bending down to lift her up bridal style when Eve's arm shot out to grab his hand and placed it on her small bump, her hand over top his to hold him there. They stood like that for a minute neither moving nor speaking. Confused and seeing that Eve was perfectly alright, Adam was about to pull his hand away when he felt it. There, right under his palm, a tiny almost imperceptible kick.

His jaw dropped open and he looked at Eve, an unasked question in his azure eyes. Her answering grin confirmed his thoughts that he really did feel what he did when another, much stronger, kick pressed against his palm. Eve laughed in delight.

Adam knelt down on his knees until he was at eye level with her belly button. Both of his hands were placed over top her baby bump roaming around her expanse of skin as the second twin decided to join in the merriment as well. Apparently their unborn children thought it would be wonderful to use their mother's womb as the perfect way to voice their newly acquired mobility, but Eve didn't mind. She was too overjoyed at the feel of their children moving for the first time.

After a while the press of kicks under their hands slowly died down. Azure eyes were still wide in amazement. He slowly brought his arms around Eve, holding her loosely and rested his cheek against the swell of her stomach while she ran her fingers through his ocean blue hair.

They didn't know how long they stayed like that for, but for just that moment it felt like time stood still.

* * *

_5 Months_

"This is going to feel cold." Adam warned.

No matter how many times she went through this, Eve was always a little shocked when the cold gel was squirted onto her exposed midriff. They were back in the lab where the eggs were implanted within her for her routine checkup, and today was the day that they would find out the gender of the twins. Adam told her beforehand that there was a chance that the twins could face away from the camera and they wouldn't know their genders until her next checkup.

Adam spread the gel around using an ultrasound wand as they both watched the monitor display a splotchy black and white video. Wonder filled the mother-to-be as the image of the twins filled the screen. They were laying one on top of each other in a sixty-nine position, heads and feet curling towards their chests. Suddenly the bottom twin moved to face the screen, flashing itself to its parents.

"Ah," Adam softly exclaimed, "Looks like it's a boy."

Not wanting to be outdone, the top twin followed its brother's movements and revealed itself as well.

"Another boy. We're having two boys." Adam pointed out as he pressed a button and a picture of the ultrasound printed out. He moved the wand around to make sure the twins were growing properly and then pushed a different switch on the monitor. The steady rhythm of the twins' hearts beating in tandem filled the room like an echo.

_Ba-Ba-thump-thump Ba-Ba-thump-thump Ba-Ba-thump-thump_

Unexpectedly Eve was overcome with shyness as she softly spoke, "Um… I-I would like to name the boys if that's alright?"

"Oh? And what have you picked out?"

"Cain, for the first born and Abel, for the second."

Adam nodded his head to show his approval. They sounded like fine names. "What were you going to name them if they were girls?" he asked curiously.

"Lilith and Mary."

"I see. Well either way they're suitable names for the twins." Adam praised. She beamed at him as they lapsed back into silence.

It wouldn't be too long now before his sons were born and he could make Eve his wife. Strange. Since when did he start thinking the Twin Gods as _his own _children? And referring to the candidate as "Eve" for that matter? As he watched the mother-to-be bask in the sounds of the beating hearts, one thought came to him.

Since when did his act turn out to be real?

* * *

_6 Months_

It was during her 26th week of pregnancy when it happened. They were out shopping for a crib and color swatches when Eve fell to her knees clutching her large belly, screaming and crying out for Adam.

"Adam! _Adam!_ Something's wrong!" Warmth sluggishly trickled down the insides of her thighs. Lifting up the hem of her dress, they both saw the trail of dark red blood dripping down her legs.

"Oh God! Oh God!" Eve repeated like a mantra. Everything seemed like a blur after that. They arrived to the lab and quickly changed her into a medical gown. Doctors and nurses came rushing in, all speaking too fast for Eve to understand or she was just unable to understand during that moment.

A hot flash of pain flared through her abdomen causing her to cry out some more. The worst set of cramps imaginable seized her womb; it almost felt like they were throbbing in time with her frantically beating heart. Adam was at her side then; holding her hand and offering a piece of solidarity in this hellish nightmare.

"...Bleeding too much-"

"Twin Gods... Danger..."

"...Consider... Operation?"

Distorted words from various voices surrounded her as she drifted in and out of consciousness. The sharp taps against her cheek and Adam calling out to her forced Eve back to reality.

"Eve! Stay with me!" With great exertion her emerald orbs focused on Adam. "You have to listen carefully, Eve! You're in labor and we can't stop the contractions. You must deliver the twins right now."

Sobriety hit her in an instant. "What? But I can't; it's too soon!"

"There's no other choice! Your life along with the twins' is in danger!"

Before she could reply, her womb squeezed in another set of contractions.

"They're coming! It's time for you to push!" The doctor instructed.

All too soon, a mixture of Eve's grunts, groans, moans, and the doctor's continuous shouts telling her to "push" produced a cacophony of noise. She fell into darkness after she gave the final push. The loss of blood coupled with the exhaustion of delivering twins forced her into unconsciousness.

When Eve woke up and inquired about the twins, the news she received nearly made her black out again.

"I'm so sorry, Eve. The twins... They were stillborn. There was nothing we could do; absolutely nothing." Adam informed her. His voice was laced heavily in regret and devastation.

"N-NOOOO!" Eve's wails rang throughout the room and down the hall. Adam wrapped his arms around her, cradling and rocking her like a newborn; their hearts suffering the heavy loss.

Her womb had never felt so empty before.

* * *

_2 Weeks Later_

They fled. After Project MA was deemed a failure, Adam abandoned his position and any thoughts of revenge all for the sake of Eve. She had broken down. She refused to believe the twins were stillborn and accused a woman in red (a sinner) of murdering their children. Everyone turned a blind eye to the truth and they didn't stick around long enough to see the aftermath. He wanted them to get away from Seth, the Senate, the memories, and anything else associated with Levianta to start a fresh.

He was wracked with guilt. It was his fault. All of it. Due to his miscalculations, the twins, his sons, were already born dead and he had deeply hurt the one woman he came to love with his entire being. She readily forgave him, but he was unsure if she truly meant it or if it was Venom talking. All he could do to atone for his sins was pledge his love to her and cater to _her_ whims until his dying breath.

So here they were, having their wedding in the woods, in their favorite place; taking their vows in Eldoh's forest, just as he promised.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Nature was the only witness to their union. Dawn broke, and the moon and stars disappeared into the southern sky marking a new beginning.

* * *

_Present Time - EC 001_

A terrifying bear was chasing her. These fruits were hers; she found them and she knew that if she brought them back then he would be so happy! To no one, no one, will she ever hand them over to.

She ran deeper and deeper into the dark forest. The full moon, so captivating with its hypnotic luminescence, the only source of light she had. Faster and faster she ran, but the bear was still behind her; tears streaming down its face, her face, and the fruits were crying as well.

Finally she arrived! Home sweet home. Her precious cargos, tucked carefully against her breasts were warm, so very warm. And there he was smiling gently, but after he saw the fruits she held, he made a very sad face.

"Listen, our children are already not part of this world. Please return these children to their own mother's side."

These warm, tender fruits (children) squirmed against her. Realization struck her hard and she screamed and screamed and screamed. Oh God, just what had she done?! With her own hands she committed an unforgivable crime, but still she wanted to keep these blushing fruits no matter what.

"You can still fix it if you do it now," he implored.

"It's no use! Because already…"

Outside their home laying face down was no longer a bear, but a woman's corpse. Horror dawned on both their faces as he closed his eyes and prepared to bury the body.

God, if this is the price to pay to bring her, them, happiness then he will do so. He would do anything to make it up to her.

_Anything._


End file.
